Pinky’s Kitchen turns out barbecue at a great price

Barbecue is not fast food. It’s a slow process, usually taking hours to draw out the flavors.

One of the latest food trucks to pop up, Pinky’s Kitchen in Wallingford, is out to serve some of the most flavor-filled barbecue in quick fashion and at a reasonable price.

Co-owners Andrew Bray and Freddy Rivas along with head chef Jesse Smith are veterans of the Seattle food scene and have brought years of culinary expertise to the truck.

“I was a circus performer before and I was brought (to the U.S.) by Teatro ZinZanni,” said Bray, the former owner of Bizzaro in Wallingford. “In Australia, I spent a lot of time living in a trailer. I’d always set up my barbecue outside, and was responsible for cooking the family meals on Sundays. It made me realize I haven’t come that far from my roots.

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“We just want it to be good and cheap. There are other good barbecue places in Seattle, but the big thing that comes up when people talk about barbecue is that it’s price-prohibitive.”

The menu: All kinds of barbecue from pulled pork and chicken to brisket and sloppy joes. There’s even a vegetarian sloppy joe on the menu. You can either get them in a full sandwich ($7) or as sliders ($2.85 each). Pinky’s makes its own sauces, too, ranging from original (Kansas City style) to a honey-tamarind sauce and even a South Carolina-style mustard sauce.

What to write home about: Although the sandwiches are tender and full of flavor, two of the sides are what stand out — homemade potato chips, which are made as you wait, and the mac ‘n’ cheese with huge noodles and a crispy topping.

The setting: The truck is set up in the parking lot of a Shell gas station, across from Rancho Bravo and just a block away from Dick’s, adding a third choice for late-night weekend food-seekers. There are covered tables to sit at, otherwise you can get it to go.

Summing up: Four sliders ($2.85 each), and sides of mac ‘n’ cheese ($4), potato chips ($1.75) and greens ($3) came out to $20.15 plus tax and tip and fed two people.